राष्ट्रं ममासकृद्राजन्राज्ञा मात्स्येन बाधितम् ।। 37
O King, my realm has been repeatedly troubled by King Matsya.
प्रणेता कीचकस्तस्य बलोत्सिक्तोऽभवन्पुरा। अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता प्रख्यातबलपौरुषः । स हतस्तत्र गन्धर्वैः पापकर्मा नृशंसकृत् ।। 38
Kīcaka, the leader of his forces, was formerly arrogant with strength, intolerant, invincible, renowned for power and prowess; he was slain there by the Gandharvas, having committed wicked and cruel deeds.
तस्मिन्विनिहते राजन्हीनदर्पो निराश्रयः। भविष्यति निरुत्साहो विराट इति मे मतिः ।। 39
With him killed, O King, Virāṭa will be left without pride and without support, and will become dispirited—this is my opinion.
तत्र यात्रा मम मता यदि ते रोचतेऽनघ। कौरवाणां च सर्वेषां कर्णस्य च महात्मनः ।। 40
Therefore, if you approve, O faultless one, my proposal is for an expedition there, along with all the Kauravas and the great-hearted Karṇa.
एतत्कार्यमहं मन्ये परमात्ययिकं महत्। राष्ट्रं तस्याभियास्यामो धनधान्यसमाकुलम् ।। 41
I consider this task to be of utmost urgency and importance; let us march upon his realm, rich with wealth and grain.
आददामोऽस्य रत्नानि विविधानि वसूनि च। ग्रामान्राष्ट्राणि वा तस्य हरिष्यामो विभागशः ।। 42
Let us seize his jewels and various treasures, and take his villages and territories, dividing them among ourselves.
अथवा गोसहस्राणि बहूनि शुभदर्शन। विविधानि हरिष्यामः प्रतीपीड्य पुरं बलात् ।। 43
Or else, let us take by force many thousands of beautiful cows of various kinds, oppressing the city.
कौरवैः सह संगमय त्रिगर्तैश्च विशांपते। गास्तस्यापहरिष्यामः सह सर्वैर्महारथैः ।। 44
Let us join with the Kauravas and the Trigartas, O lord of men, and together with all the great chariot-warriors, carry off his cows.
सन्धिं वा तेन कृत्वा तु निबध्नीमोऽस्य पौरुषम्। हत्वा चास्य चमूं कृत्स्नां वशमेवानयामहे ।। 45
Or, making peace with him, let us bind his strength; or, having destroyed his entire army, let us bring him under our control.
तं वशे न्यायतः कृत्वा सुखं वत्स्यामहे वयम्। भवतां बलवृद्धिश्च भविष्यति न संशयः ।। 46
Having brought him lawfully under our power, we shall live comfortably; your strength will also increase, without doubt.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कर्णो राजानमब्रवीत् ।। 47
Hearing these words from him, Karṇa spoke to the king.
सूक्तं सुशर्मणा वाक्यं प्राप्तकालमिदं वचः। तस्मात्क्षिप्रं विनिर्यामो योजयित्वा वरूथिनीं ।। 48
Suśarman's speech was well-spoken and timely; therefore, let us quickly set out, assembling the troops.
यदेतत्तेऽभिरुचितं मम चैतद्धि रोचते। प्रविभज्य च सैन्यानि यथा वा मन्यते भवान् ।। 49
What you have proposed pleases me, and I am also inclined to it; let the armies be divided as you think best.
प्रज्ञावान्कुलवृद्धश्च सर्वेषां नः पितामहः। आचार्यश्च कृपो विद्वाञ्शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः ।। 50
Our grandfather is wise and experienced in lineage, and Kripa the teacher is learned, as is Śakuni, son of Subala.
मन्यन्ते ते यथा सर्वे तथा यात्रा विधीयताम्। संमन्त्र्य चाशु गच्छामः साधनार्थं महीपते ।। 51
Let us do as you all think best and arrange the expedition accordingly; after consulting together, O king, let us quickly set out to accomplish our aim.
किंनु नः पाण्डवैः कार्यं हीनार्थबलपौरुषैः। अत्यन्तं हि प्रनष्टास्ते प्राप्ता वाऽपि यमक्षयम् ।। 52
What business do we have with the Pandavas, who are now deprived of wealth, strength, and valor? Surely, they are utterly destroyed or have already reached the abode of Yama.
तद्भवांश्चतुरङ्गेण बलेन महता वृतः। विराटनगरं यातु सर्वसैन्येन भारत। आदास्यामोऽथ गास्तस्य विविधानि वसूनि च ।। 53
Therefore, you should go to the city of Virata, surrounded by a great fourfold army, O descendant of Bharata, with all our forces; then we shall seize his cattle and various treasures.
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा वचः श्रुत्वा तु तस्य तत्। वैकर्तनस्य कर्णस्य क्षिप्रमाज्ञापयत्स्वयम्। शासने नित्ययुक्तं तु दुःशासनमनन्तरम् ।। 54
Then King Duryodhana, having heard these words of Karna, son of the charioteer, immediately ordered Duhshasana, who was ever diligent in carrying out commands.
सह वृद्धैस्तु संमन्त्र्य क्षिप्रं योजय वाहिनीम्। यथोद्देशं तु गच्छामः सहिताः सर्वकौरवैः ।। 55
After consulting with the elders, quickly mobilize the army, so that we may proceed as planned, together with all the Kauravas.
सुशर्मा तु यथोद्दिष्टं देशं यातु महारथः। त्रिगर्तैः सहितः सर्वैः प्रख्यातबलपौरुषैः। प्रागेव हि सुसंयत्तो विराटनगरं प्रति ।। 56
Let the mighty Suśarman, as instructed, proceed to the designated place with all the renowned and valiant Trigartas, for he is already well-prepared to march towards the city of Virata.
जघन्यतो वयं तत्र यास्यामो दिवसान्तरे। विषयं मत्स्यराजस्य सुसमृद्धं सुसंहितम् ।। 57
We shall go there from the rear on the following day, to the prosperous and well-defended territory of the king of the Matsyas.
सुशर्मणा गृहीते तु मत्स्यराजस्य गोधने। विराटः सैन्यमादाय त्रिगर्तैः सह योत्स्यति ।। 58
When Suśarman has seized the cattle of the Matsya king, Virata will take up his army and fight against the Trigartas.
अपरं दिवसं गास्तु तत्र गृह्णन्तु कौरवाः। गवार्थे पाण्डवास्तत्र योत्स्यन्ति कुरुभिः सह ।। 59
On the next day, let the Kauravas seize the cattle there; for the sake of the cows, the Pandavas will fight there together with the Kurus.
तथा गत्वा यथोद्देशं विराटनगरान्तिके। क्षिप्रं गोष्ठं समासाद्य गृह्णन्तु विपुलं धनम् ।। 60
Thus, having gone as planned to the vicinity of Virata's city, let them quickly reach the cattle-station and seize the abundant wealth.
गवां शतसहस्राणि श्रीमन्ति गुणवन्ति च। वयमस्य निगृह्णीमो द्विधा कृत्वा च वाहिनीम् ।। 61
Let us seize these hundreds of thousands of splendid and excellent cows, dividing our army into two.
ते स्म गत्वा यथोद्दिष्टं देशं मत्स्यमहीपतेः। संनद्धा रथिनः सर्वे सपताका बलोत्कटाः। प्रतिवैरं चिकीर्षन्तो गोषु गृद्धा महाबलाः ।। 62
Having gone as instructed to the territory of the Matsya king, all the chariot-warriors, fully armed and bearing banners, eager for battle and greedy for cattle, stood ready with their mighty forces.
आदत्त गाः सुशर्माऽथ कृष्णपक्षस्य चाष्टमीम् ।। 63
Then Suśarman seized the cows on the eighth day of the dark fortnight.
अपरे दिवसे सर्वे राजन्संभूय कौरवाः। नवम्यां ते न्यगृह्णन्त गोकुलानि सहस्रशः। कौरवास्तु महावीर्या मत्स्यानां विषयान्तरे ।। 64
On the next day, O king, all the Kauravas assembled and on the ninth day seized thousands of cattle-pens; the mighty Kauravas did so in another part of the Matsya territory.
ततस्तेषां महाराज तत्रैवामिततेजसाम्। छद्मलिङ्गप्रविष्टानां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् ।। 1
There, O great king, among those of immeasurable energy, the Pandavas of great soul, who had entered in disguise, remained.
व्यतीतः समयः सम्यग्विराटनगरे सताम्। कुर्वतां तस्य कर्माणि वीराटस्य महीपतेः ।। 2
The appointed time passed well for them in the city of Virata, as they performed the duties of King Virata.